Space Harrier

Copyright : Sega | Reviewed by : Patrick Furlong

In this Sega arcade licence, you play a man who can fly around as you try to free the Fantasy Zone from aliens. In the 3D enivroment, you can either run on the ground or fly in the air as you destroy the aliens in level after level of colourful action.

Graphics

MODE 0 graphics are used here and are resonablly fast. Full marks to Elite for maintaining the feel of the arcade machine although to keep the speed fast, everything but the hero and the backdrop are done using wireframe graphics. I would pefer this than to have everything as solid graphics and dead slow.

Sound

Annoying laser beeps for your laser gun but a very nice track for the title screen and ingame action. Whenever you get to an end of level guardian the track changes, but as soon as you get to the next level, it changes back to the main music. While I love the title and ingame track to this game, I pefer the Commodore64 version of this track.

Gameplay

Very easy to get into. On the title screen, you get to practice moving your character about the screen, but when you press the fire button, the game starts and you have to start avoiding stuff straight away. It pays to keep pressing the fire button because not only do you have enemy laser fire to deal with, you also have to avoid the scenery and if you stop firing to avoid the scenery, the enemy will destroy you. Thankfully, you start the game with 9 lives and you will need them.

OVERALL

A very good licence from Elite who have done the arcade game justice.